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On a sunny Sunday afternoon, two young church members were going door to door to invite people to visit their services. When they knocked on one door, it was immediately clear the woman who answered was not happy to see them.

She told them in no uncertain terms that she did not want to hear their message, and before they could say anything more, she slammed the door in their faces. To her surprise, however, the door did not close; in fact, it bounced back open.

She tried again, really putting her back into it, and slammed it again with the same result – the door bounced back open.

Convinced these rude young people were sticking their foot in her door, she reared back to give it a slam that would teach them a lesson.

Just then, one of them said quietly: “Ma’am, before you do that again, you really need to move your cat.” [1]

For many years, opportunities knocked on my door and I refused to answer. Even some opportunities I believe came from the Lord.

I was either too afraid to get out of my comfort zone, too afraid of what people might sayif I “blew it” or too afraid of failure.

I hate to admit it, but it wasn’t a Bible verse that inspired me to answer those doors. It was a movie. And I didn’t even see the movie.

I read a review about a silly Jim Carrey movie, “Yes Man.”

In the 2008 film, based on a book by Danny Wallace, Carrey’s character—a lonely man—attended a motivational seminar and heard the speaker tell the audience, “Say ‘yes’ to everything.”The exercise was designed to build self-confidence and greater purpose.

According to the review, Carrey’s character acquired new skills as he continued to say “yes”—which leads to a happier life.

For me, a Christian, saying “yes” means a lot more, especially when it involves the Lord. It’s a matter of obedience, regardless of my fears and potential discomfort.

When opportunities come, I still pray for discernment and check to be sure the opportunity doesn’t violate scripture, but then I pray, “Lord, I’m going for this unless you give me a clear ‘no’ or ‘wait.'”

Refusing to walk through doors God prepares for us means we’re willing to settle for the blessings of the past.

God told Israel:

“. . . I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it?” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

God, the Creator, may want to do something new in and through us! And He will strengthen us for whatever He calls us to do (Ephesians 3:16).

Canadian author Connie Cavanaugh wrote a book in 2011 that gave me more insight for my new-found “say yes” freedom.

In Following God One Yes at a Time, she wrote (emphasis mine),

“Fear can become a barrier behind which we cower, too afraid to say the next yes.Or fear can be the pathway on which we move forward, one yes at a time, perhaps slowly and painfully, but hand-in-hand with God.

“Every time we choose to believe God and say ‘yes’ with our feet,” Connie said, “a brick comes off the wall fear built and gets placed squarely in front of us to become a stepping-stone that takes us toward fulfillment of God’s dream for us.” (2)

Connie explained the kind of follow-ship that leads to fulfillment of our dreams and God’s will for us. “Following him,” she said, “requires the simple trust and immediate obedience of a child who believes God will make the way to Him simple, immediate and possible.” (3)

I still have so much more to learn about following God, but now I’m eager to say “Yes!”

In fact my focus word for 2015 is “dauntless,” which means “fearless determination.” I’m determined to walk through every door God opens with fearless faith and freedom!

How about you? Are you ready to walk through the doorsGod opens for you?

Is there a door you’re refusing to walk through right now? If so, what is keeping you from obedience and a fresh adventure with God?

Texan Jeannette Sharp, whose writing has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Answered Prayers and other titles, compiled the book Hurray God! ~ Hope, Pray, Believe. She tells a personal story of an answer to prayer that rocked her world as a child and helped her to understand the power of God.

In “Five Boxes of Christmas Cards,” Jeannette wrote about an incident in fifth grade . She hurried home after school to pick up a case of boxed Christmas cards. She wanted to sell them, door-to-door.

“I headed out with high hopes, and knocked on every door for blocks, but found no buyers,” she said.”

Her father had died earlier that year, and the urgent need to make money to help her family griped her young heart. “I worried about our money and could tell mother did, too,” she said. “I often saw her fight back tears. She wrote down everything she spent in a little black book.”

Jeannette knew that Christmas would be bleak without her daddy. And so, as it turned dark outside and cold winds blew, she decided to try one more house.

“As I walked up the driveway and knocked on the door,” she said, “I whispered, ‘O God, please help me sell all five boxes,’ she said. The bigness of my prayer seemed almost unreasonable.”

The lady who answered the door bought ALL FIVE boxes.

“I could hardly believe my ears,” Jeannette said. “All of a sudden, nothing mattered ~ not what Mother’s little black book said, the cold north wind, or that Daddy was gone.” Clutching the money for the cards, she ran home to tell her story.

“We had always gone to church, and I believed in God,” she wrote. “But this was the first time I knew through and through in my heart that God heard me, saw me, and cared for me.” (1)

I love that story, and others in the book encourage me to hope in God and believe Him for more. Jeannette’s book stretches faith and renews the desire for powerful (not wimpy) praying.

Has God ever answered an “unreasonable” prayer for you … a prayer you prayed with muscles, bold in seeking an answer to a desperate need? Though we cannot force God’s hand ~ our prayers do not manipulate Him ~ I believe that God is honored by bold prayers, and especially when we plead His promises.

Jesus told the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) to remind us that we should always pray and not give up. We can pray boldly (Hebrews4:16) because we believe our Heavenly Father desires to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:7-11).

The Bible tells us that the prayers of righteous believers are powerful and effective (James 5:16b). Jesus shared a story about a man who had unexpected guests and no food to serve them. The man pounded on his neighbor’s door, asking for bread, and his persistent boldness had positive results (Luke 11:5-8).

Like this:

I (Pam) recently saw a list of “Ways to know you are NOT cut out to be a First Responder”(Police, EMT, or Firefighter).

One of the funny lines was, “When you see trouble brewing, your first reaction is to call 911.”

Running in to help when others run out is what people call heroic. You might be surprised to know we each have a seed of the heroic in us.

Recently, we were out kayaking and our son Caleb, home for a few weeks from his football playing and engineer studying days at Harding University, spotted a kayak that had just flipped. He instantly power paddled across the San Diego Bay to rescue a frantic father who was desperately trying to hold his six-year-old son up and keep them both from drowning. Caleb single-handedly lifted up the kayak, emptied the water, flipped it over, rescued the son and placed him into the kayak, lifted the dad and got him back in the boat, and retrieved the paddles all before we could reach the location to help.

A very grateful father and son are still alive today ~ and Caleb’s mom and dad are very proud of this son who listened to that prompt from God and instantaneously obeyed the call.

Years before this, Bill and I equipped Caleb through our Learner and Leader parenting program (which we outlined in 10 Best Decisions a Parent Can Make). We prayed and worked diligently with our very shy, quiet Caleb. The Learner and Leader plan helps parents weave character into their children year after year, one trait at a time. One of the first traits we impressed upon Caleb was initiative: “When you seen something that needs done, DO IT!” (Without being asked!)

Caleb’s education through Christian school and his decision to launch a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Huddle further prepared him to be a leader of action. And Caleb himself has guarded his quiet times and devotional life with God, so a quiet whisper from God is all it takes to get Caleb’s attention.

That day, that moment, all the preparations came together! The result was life saving! Watching it unfold is a treasured moment in my heart.

When asked about the decision to rescue the father and son, Caleb simply and quietly replied, “I saw the boat flip. I knew what to do, so I did it.”

In a similar moment of decision, our friend, Captain Jack Collier, a police officer, was recently confronting a criminal brandishing a gun ~ pointed at Jack. In the face of losing his own life, Jack drew his weapon and arrested the man. His wife, Robin, later asked him, “Were you afraid?” He answered, “No, because I didn’t have to GET ready; I WAS ready!”

If we, everyday, prepare ourselves with a consistent quiet time with God, we will be ready when He calls us into battle ~ and the results maybe life-saving, life- changing, or life-altering for others.

2 Timothy 4:2 gives a clear command: “… be prepared in season and out of season….” Luke 12:35 encourages, “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.” And 2 Corinthians 9:3 shows how fellowship keeps us accountable to be ready: “But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.”

To aid my own readiness, I have quiet time baskets in many rooms in my home with Bibles, a journal, and a devotional in them. In addition, on my desk are several translations, several more daily devotionals, and journals. I also have the Bible on my smart phone and many devotionals are electronically delivered to my Inbox. I want the tools of being ready at my finger tips so I can dig into God’s Word. I want to be ready.